Newcastle's Ritchie to undergo shoulder surgery

(Reuters) - Newcastle United winger Matt Ritchie will undergo surgery for a shoulder injury sustained in Sunday's 1-1 Premier League draw at Tottenham Hotspur, manager Steve Bruce said on Tuesday.

Ritchie, 31, left the pitch in the 69th minute when he picked up the injury in an awkward fall after contesting for the ball with Tottenham defender Matt Doherty.

Bruce said the Scotland international's injury was similar to that sustained by defender Fabian Schar, who has been out of action since mid-July with a dislocated shoulder.

"He is seeing the surgeon today and it's a very similar injury to Fabian Schar. A disruption of the shoulder joint," Bruce said ahead of Wednesday's League Cup last-16 encounter at League Two (fourth-tier) side Newport County.

"It looks as if he'll need an operation and it'll be done fairly soon."

Bruce said he was happy with Schar's recovery but Newcastle would not rush his return to action.

"It's been around nine weeks out now, he's ahead of schedule and doing well," the 59-year-old manager said.

"We have to be a bit careful. He wants to join in and play but we're guided by doctors on him."

(Reporting by Manasi Pathak in Chennai; Editing by Tomasz Janowski)